A liquid crystal display (LCD) displays a desired video by modulating illumination light from a backlight through a liquid crystal panel. Light sources may be included in the backlight. Furthermore, the emission intensities of the light sources included in the backlight need not be uniform but may be individually controlled. The individual control of emission intensities of the light sources is expected to exert effects such as an expansion in display dynamic range and a reduction in power consumption.
For example, a transmissive display apparatus described in JP-A 2008-122713 (KOKAI) controls backlight luminances corresponding to respective areas into which a display screen of a liquid crystal panel is divided. Specifically, the transmissive display apparatus described in JP-A 2008-122713 (KOKAI) determines the backlight luminance corresponding to each area based on the maximum video signal value in the area.
The transmissive display apparatus described in JP-A 2008-122713 (KOKAI) determines a representative value based on video signals contained in each of the areas (luminous areas) in which the backlight luminance can be individually controlled. Based on the representative value, the transmissive display apparatus determines the backlight luminance. Such control of the backlight luminance may cause an observer to perceive unnatural variation in luminance.
For example, if a video of fireworks is to be displayed, then in the video to be displayed, a bright (high luminance) object (hereinafter referred to as a bright point) moves gradually against a dark (low luminance) background. According to the conventional control of the backlight luminance as described above, luminous areas containing the bright point are provided with a high backlight luminance. Luminous areas containing no bright point are provided with a low backlight luminance. During the movement, every time the bright point strides over the boundary between the luminous areas, the magnitude of the backlight intensity is reversed. That is, the backlight luminance of the luminous area into which the bright point flows increases rapidly. The backlight luminance of the luminous area out of which the bright point flows decreases rapidly. Such a variation in backlight luminance can be perceived by the observer, who may feel uncomfortable with the display.